Colorado judge strikes down state's same-sex marriage ban

A judge in Colorado struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage Wednesday, but immediately put the ruling on hold to allow for appeals.

Judge Scott Crabtree of Adams County ruled the ban "violates the plaintiffs' due process and equal protection guarantees under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”

Crabtree put the ruling on hold, acknowledging: “The final chapter of this debate will undoubtedly have to be written in either Denver or Washington, D.C.”

Rebecca Brinkman and Margaret Burd filed the lawsuit last year after they were denied a marriage license because they are both women, according to court documents.

Colorado is now the latest on the list of states that have tossed out their same-sex marriage bans.

Although Colorado allows same-sex civil unions, Crabtree said that is not the same as allowing marriage.

“The court finds that confining same-sex couples to civil unions is further evidence of discrimination against same-sex couples and does not ameliorate the discriminatory effect of the marriage bans,” he said in the ruling.